JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2020
AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH VINTAGE PHOTO ALBUM A WACO’S LEGACY TWO FAMILIES AND A CHAMP
Moth MAGNIFICENT
Message From the President
January/February 2020
SUSAN DUSENBURY, VAA PRESIDENT
STAFF Publisher: Jack J. Pelton, EAA CEO and Chairman of the Board Editor: Jim Busha / jbusha@eaa.org
Accomplishments
Senior Copy Editor: Colleen Walsh Proofreader: Meghan Plummer Graphic Designer: Cordell Walker
WELL, HERE at the Vintage
Aircraft Association progress is being made, but not as fast as we had planned. Due to the unusually high amount of rain, our outdoor projects came to a screeching halt! By now, we had planned to have the new roof vents installed on the Vintage Hangar and the remaining landscaping complete in Vintage Village. That did not happen simply because the Vintage Village grounds as well as other areas of Wittman field were under 1-2 inches of water. All will get done, but not in the hoped-for time frame. What has been accomplished is a great deal of planning for work to be done after Oshkosh thaws in April. Major improvements are in the works for our Tall Pines Café. New tables and chairs were purchased and have been delivered, making the indoor picnic tables a thing of the past. A few picnic tables will remain outside and adjacent to the café. We are looking into painting the roof trusses as well as the sidewall supports to give the entire area a much cleaner look and to brighten the interior. Also in the plans for Tall Pines is the much-needed replacement of some of the antiquated kitchen appliances, a new sliding glass door refrigerator like those you see in convenience stores, and some renovations and improvements in the kitchen area. We read the member requests per an EAA survey for healthier food choices throughout the entire
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh grounds and are currently working toward healthier choices for our guests at Tall Pines. I have appointed a committee to work with Tall Pines Chairman Steve Nesse to provide additional menu items, paying particular attention to the much-requested healthier choices. We are also looking into landscaping in the area of Tall Pines and into new sidewalks from Wittman Road leading to the Tall Pines building.
Vintage is the happy and proud recipient of a 1929 Ford pickup truck thanks to longtime Vintage member and supporter Myrt Rose.
ADVERTISING Vice President of Business Development and Membership: Dave Chaimson / dchaimson@eaa.org Advertising Manager: Sue Anderson / sanderson@eaa.org Mailing Address: VAA, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903 Website: www.VintageAircraft.org Email: vintageaircraft@eaa.org
Visit www.VintageAircraft.org for the latest in information and news and for the electronic newsletter: Vintage AirMail.
Current EAA members may join the Vintage Aircraft Association and receive Vintage Airplane magazine for an additional $45/year. EAA membership, Vintage Airplane magazine, and one-year membership in the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association are available for $55 per year (Sport Aviation magazine not included). (Add $7 for International Postage.)
On an entirely different note, Vintage is the happy and proud recipient of a 1929 Ford pickup truck thanks to longtime Vintage member and supporter Myrt Rose. (You may remember some years back that Myrt and her late husband Bill annually would bring their collection of World War II Ryan trainers to Oshkosh for display in the Vintage area.) The story of the truck began in Myrt’s childhood.
Foreign Memberships Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars. Add required Foreign Postage amount for each membership. Membership Service P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 Monday–Friday, 8 AM—6 PM CST Join/Renew 800-564-6322 membership@eaa.org EAA AirVenture Oshkosh www.EAA.org/AirVenture
CONTINUED ON PAGE 64
888-322-4636
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Contents FE AT UR E S
12 The Devil Is in the Details Michael Maniatis’ 1928 Gipsy Moth By Budd Davisson
22 Time Travelers Relive history through the vintage beauties on display at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2019
44 A Half-Century Coming Jim Callis’ efforts win again in a Waco reborn By Budd Davisson
52 One Airplane, Two Lifelong Friends How a Champ brought two families together By Christina Basken
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Send your thoughts to the Vintage editor at jbusha@eaa.org. For missing or replacement magazines, or any other membership-related questions, please call EAA Member Services at 800-JOIN-EAA (564-6322).
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January/February 2020
January/February 2020 / Vol. 48, No. 1
COLUM NS 01
Message From the President
By Susan Dusenbury
04
Friends of the Red Barn
08
How To? Install Aircraft Bolts By Robert G. Lock
10
Good Old Days
60
The Vintage Mechanic Adhesives and Bondings Part 2 By Robert G. Lock
64
Flymart
COV ER S Front Michael Maniatis’ 1928 de Havilland Gipsy Moth was a real head-turner at AirVenture Oshkosh 2019. Photo by Connor Madison
Back Myron Lokken and his lifelong friend Doug Tomas spent years restoring this award-winning Aeronca Champ. Photo by Connor Madison
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
www.vintageaircraft.org 3
Friends of the
RED BARN DEAR FRIENDS,
For one week every year a temporary city of about 50,000 people is created in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on the grounds of Wittman Regional Airport. We call the temporary city EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. During this one week, EAA and our communities, including the Vintage Aircraft Association, host more than 500,000 pilots and aviation enthusiasts along with their families and friends. With the support of the very capable VAA officers, directors, and more than 600 volunteers, the Vintage Aircraft Association annually welcomes more than 1,100 vintage showplanes throughout the week of AirVenture on our nearly 1.3-mile flightline. We continue to work to bring an array of valuable services and interesting programs to the VAA membership and to all of our Vintage Village visitors during this magical week. Across Wittman Road and in front of our flagship building, the VAA Red Barn, we will feature some really interesting airplanes, including the beautiful past Vintage Grand Champions, an array of fun and affordable aircraft, and some exciting rare and seldom-seen aircraft. In Vintage Village proper we have a hospitality service, a bookstore, a general store (the Red Barn Store), youth programs, educational forums, and much more. As you can imagine, creating the infrastructure to support these displays, as well as the programs offered during the week, is both time consuming and costly, but they are made possible thanks to donations from our wonderful members.
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As your president, I am inviting you on behalf of the Vintage Aircraft Association to join our association’s once-a-year fundraising campaign — Friends of the Red Barn (FORB). The services and programs that we provide for our members and guests during AirVenture are made possible through our FORB fundraising efforts. A donation from you — no matter how large or small — supports the dream of aviation for aviators and aviation enthusiasts of all ages and levels of involvement. We invite you to join us in supporting this dream through the Friends of the Red Barn. I thank you in advance for your continued support of the Vintage Aircraft Association as we move this premier organization forward on behalf of our membership and the vintage aircraft movement. If you have already made a 2020 FORB contribution, thank you for your dedication and support of the vintage aircraft movement. I look forward to seeing you all in July !
SUSAN DUSENBURY, PRESIDENT VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD, CONNOR MADISON
CONTRIBUTION LEVELS ↓
Donor Appreciation Certificate
Special FORB Badge
Access to Air-Conditioned Volunteer Center
A “6-Pack” of Cold Bottled Water!
Two Passes to VAA Volunteer Party
Breakfast at Tall Pines Café
Tri-Motor OR Helicopter Ride Certificate
2 people, full week
2 tickets
1 person, full week
1 ticket
Two Tickets to VAA Picnic
Close Auto Parking
Special Air Show Seating
Full week
2 people, 1 day
Two Weekly Wristbands
DIAMOND PLUS
DIAMOND $1,000 - $1,499 PLATINUM
GOLD $500 - $749 SILVER
BRONZE PLUS $150 - $249 BRONZE LOYAL SUPPORTER $99 and under
#
CHOOSE YOUR LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION:
Name: _________________________________________________________ EAA #:
_______________ VAA #:
_________________
____________________
ZIP: ______________
Address: _____________________________________________________________
City: ____________________________________________________________State:
o Diamond Plus ($1,500 or more) o Diamond ($1,000-$1,499) o Platinum ($750-$999) o Gold ($500-$749) o Silver ($250-$499) o Bronze Plus ($150-$249) o Bronze ($100-$149) o Loyal Supporter ($99 or less)
BADGE INFORMATION (for Bronze Level and above)
Phone: __________________________________________________________Email:
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o Payment enclosed (Make checks payable to Vintage Aircraft Association)
o Yes, prepare my name badge to read:
________________________________ (Please print name)
o Please charge my credit card for the amount of: $
o No, I do not need a badge this year.
Credit Card Number: Expiration Date: Signature:
CERTIFICATES
o Yes, I would like a certificate. o No, I do not need a certificate for this year.
Vintage Aircraft Association | 3000 Poberezny Rd., Oshkosh, WI 54902 | 920.426.6110 | EAAVintage.org The Vintage Aircraft Association is a nonprofit educational organization under IRS 501(c)(3) rules. Under Federal Law, the deduction from Federal Income tax for charitable contributions is limited to the amount by which any money (and the value of any property other than money) contributed exceeds the value of the goods or services provided in exchange for the contribution. An appropriate receipt acknowledging your gift will be sent to you for IRS gift reporting reasons. Contributions must be received by July 15, 2020 to receive recognition at AirVenture 2020
PLEASE JOIN US THE VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION will be commemorating this milestone 100th anniversary of the Stinsons and the founding of the Stinson Aircraft Corporation at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2020. Plans are being developed for many special events, and I invite all Stinson owners and enthusiasts to join us in celebrating the iconic Stinson aircraft!
Look for more details in the next issue of Vintage Airplane.
How To? ROBERT G. LOCK
Install Aircraft Bolts BY ROBERT G. LOCK
AN BOLTS COME IN DIAMETERS from 3/16 inch and up, their diameters increasing in 1/16-inch increments. In most antique and small general aviation type aircraft, the largest bolt diameter you will find is 1/2 inch. The bolts come in drilled and undrilled shanks and should be properly used. Drilled bolts are for installing a castle nut that requires they be safetied with either a cotter pin or safety wire. Undrilled bolts require the use of locking nuts, either fiber or steel collars. Their lengths are in 1/8-inch increments — the correct coding can be found in reference material; the one I use is called the Standard Aircraft Handbook, compiled by Stuart Leavell and Stanley Bungay. The first rule to know is that drilled shank bolts of 3/16-inch and 1/4-inch diameter cannot be used with locking nuts. However, bolt diameters greater than 1/4 inch may be used with locking nuts. This rule is because when these small diameter bolts are drilled, there is not much material left in that area, and a locking nut can shear off the end of the bolt. I’ve seen it happen, particularly on 3/16-inch-diameter bolts. The unthreaded portion of the bolt shank is called the grip and is intended to be the approximate thickness of the material to be fastened. Another rule of the industry is that a maximum of three washers be used to compensate for bolt length — and one washer is always placed under the nut to prevent gouging of the surface when the nut is torqued. If you know the length of the grip, then it is easy to figure out the correct bolt length.
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Lengths may vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer. Length variation is +0.046 inch and -0.015 inch. The bolt end is chamfered for easy insertion into the hole, the chamfer angle being 45 degrees. Note that there is a round area just under the bolt head that is 1/64-inch thick so the hexagon head will not contact structure surface. All bolt heads are marked for identification by the manufacturer to assure proper usage. The specific marking that identifies a 2330 heat-treated nickel steel bolt is a cross or asterisk. Although markings deviate between manufacturers, you will always see these two types of identification markings on bolt heads. Use no other bolt head markings as a substitute. Stainless steel bolts have a raised dash, and aluminum bolts have a recessed dash on the head. For torque values, consult AC 43.13-1B. Torque values are important, especially when tightening bolts on wood structure, as one can crush wood fibers with increased torque. A good rule of thumb for tightening castle nuts on bolts is hand tight plus one or two castellations, then safety with a cotter pin or safety wire. Locking nuts should not be used where bolts are subject to rotation; instead use castle nuts with a cotter pin safety. Bolts subject to rotation are in shear application; therefore, do not overtorque.
AN23
Free Shipping From Univair All bolt heads are marked for identification by the manufacturer to assure proper usage. While standard steel aircraft bolts may be used in both tension and shear applications, clevis bolts are shear fasteners and are used in that application only. The shear bolt code begins with AN21; however, these are rarely used. The most common is AN23, the 3 indicating 3/16-inch diameter, and increases, AN24 being 1/4 inch in diameter, etc. Clevis bolts come in both drilled and undrilled threads and are intended for a shear nut, either AN320 castle or AN364 fiber lock nut, to be used. Note the shear area just above the threads. When these type fasteners are installed, the castle nut should be finger tight and, after cotter pin installation, should be able to be rotated with just a little friction on the fastener. The same is true when a fiber locknut is used. Installations should have a shear washer under the nut and a shear washer under the head if possible. Do not substitute AN bolts in place of shear bolts. Clevis bolts are intended to be used in structure where no tension is applied by the fastener. Note that the threads are short compared to the AN bolt, thus they will only accept a shear type nut. The same rule applies on these bolts that applies to AN bolts — do not use a fiber or steel locking nut on drilled shank bolts. Clevis bolt installations are common in cable systems that have forked ends and in control systems where the load is shear only. Keep in mind that they have no torque and, when grasped with the fingers, can be rotated freely. This information is also useful when inspecting aircraft. If you see a clevis bolt, make sure you can turn it.
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9
Good Old Days
10 January/February 2020
From the pages of what was ... Take a quick look through history by enjoying images pulled from publications past.
www.vintageaircraft.org 11
CHECK OUT THE DIGITAL EDITION of Vintage for a video Michael Maniatis’ 1928 Gipsy Moth.
12 January/February 2020
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
Michael Maniatis’ 1928 Gipsy Moth BY BUDD DAVISSON
www.vintageaircraft.org 13
time when giants walked the Earth: a cliché that definitely fits the first decade and a half of the last century. Henry Ford and his peer group revolutionized the ground-bound part of civilization while the likes of Curtiss, Blériot, Fokker, and so many other pioneers revolutionized the sky. In 1900, man had yet to leave the ground in a controlled fashion, but 15 years later, World War I pterodactyls sporting Vickers and Spandau machine guns were engaged in three-dimensional jousting that ushered in a violent new art form called aerial combat. The technical progress and the men who fostered it were amazing! Within aviation, that was a time when young men were creating an entirely new, unexpected industry far outstripping their elders. Russian Igor Sikorsky was 24 when he first flew his Grand, a 91-foot-span, four-engine, seven-passenger monster that actually worked. Glenn Curtiss was 31 and already a motorcycle racing legend when he began producing his 1909 Pusher. Anthony Fokker’s Eindecker created the lethal 1915 Fokker Scourge of WWI when he was 25. By the time Geoffrey de Havilland was 28, he had flown his first successful design and designed and built his first aero engine. This was in 1910, only seven years after the first flight — a time of young giants indeed. Of those mentioned, although Sikorsky may be well known on this side of the pond because of his helicopters and amphibians, de Havilland is better represented at fly-ins thanks to his DH.60 designs, the Moth series. However, with the rare exception, the de Havilland kites seen puttering over the horizon are the DH.60T, redesignated the DH.82 Tiger Moth. It is the most common Moth because so many were built as trainers during World War II. The list of countries that didn’t use DH.60s is far shorter than the list of those that did. Because the other members of the DH.60 family are so seldom seen, one of the highlights of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2019 was when Michael Maniatis, EAA 126494/ VAA 21093, of Milton, New York, put his amazing DH.60G, a Gipsy Moth, in front of the VAA Red Barn.
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Before we start extolling the virtues of his incredibly complex and detailed restoration, let’s look at what airplanes populate his past, some of which are so rare most of us have never seen one. “Although I was the son of a merchant seaman, I gravitated to airplanes, and the models I built were often done only from photos,” Michael said. “At the time, the airplanes infused me with an appreciation for their art.” That appreciation led Michael to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, for a master’s degree in fine art, majoring in new forms, which focused on nontraditional art. “I always had a fierce interest in aviation and art, so I combined my interest in designing and building in producing a manpowered airplane,” Michael said. He started the project in 1976 and finished in 1980, gaining the attention of a professor who hired him to make models and props for advertisements. After earning his degree, Michael started Manhattan Model Makers in New York City’s photo district. The business endured for 30 years. “We handmade anything an art director could dream up, from fake food for cereal box covers to animated robots for TV commercials,” Michael said. “Occasionally I would do special props for SNL and film companies. I worked for every major advertising company on Madison Avenue and several feature films.”
“I always had a fierce interest in aviation and art, so I combined my interest in designing and building in producing a manpowered airplane.” — Michael Maniatis
CLICK HERE
TO SEE A VIDEO ON MICHAEL MANIATIS’ 1928 GIPSY MOTH
The de Havilland DH 60 series of Moths began with the Gipsy Moth but only a handful are flying today.
In 2014, when computers had taken over much of Manhattan Model Makers’ work, Michael closed the business and put his time into aircraft building and restoration, looking to his bucket list for inspiration. “The DH.71 Racer, for instance, was built in my loft in NYC in between jobs,” Michael said. “The Moth Major the same. I’d hoist the wings and fuselage up the front of the building right in front of people on the street and fish them in through windows.” The DH.71 was a very “de Havilland-ish” low-wing monoplane with a very “Moth-ish” fuselage and tail. The upright Cirrus, and then Gipsy, air-cooled, four-cylinder engines created a nose that could only be on a Moth. So, how does a guy from New York City get so wound up in English airplanes, some of which are pretty exotic and hard to find? In 1987, Michael went in on a DHC-1 Chipmunk, but the partnership didn’t last. In 1989, when he couldn’t find another Chipmunk, he turned his attention to open-cockpit flying, purchasing a Tiger Moth, which he still owns. (He eventually found another Chipmunk, purchasing it in 1999; he still owns it today.) Michael joined Tiger Moth clubs in the United States and England, taking trips to Woburn in Bedfordshire, England, for its annual Moth meet. “I guess I got hooked,” Michael said. The majority of spectators at Oshkosh had never seen a Moth that wasn’t a Tiger, and those who had didn’t know the genealogy involved. Michael is an old hand at dealing with that problem.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON, PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF EAA ARCHIVES
De Havilland started the DH.60 family in the early 1920s, and in 1925, the aircraft first flew as the Cirrus Moth, named for its Cirrus engine. Though reliable in its time, over the years, supply was short since the engine was based on top-end parts from limited surplus French Renault engines. “So, Geoffrey de Havilland, being an engine designer at heart, brought his people together, and they designed and put into production their own four-cylinder, air-cooled engine known as the Gipsy I,” Michael said. “In so doing, they became one of the few aircraft manufacturers in history to build their own engines for their airplanes, Curtiss being another. That first airplane was designated DH.60G and named the Gipsy Moth.” In the early days of Moth production, a dizzying variety of models were produced, most nearly identical except for the firewall forward. The Gipsy engine, which had started at 90 hp, went up in steps to 100, 120, and finally 145 hp in the DH.60T, the Tiger Moth. However, so many changes were made as the airplane went into military service that it was redesignated DH.82 Tiger Moth.
www.vintageaircraft.org 15
Michael has become something of a Moth maven in that he has owned and restored a 1943 Tiger Moth (twice — he’s doing it again after an engine failure put him in the trees of Old Rhinebeck), a Gipsy II Moth, and a Moth Major. Somehow, a J-5 Cub sneaked into the lineup, and his Gipsy Moth rounds out the projects. “This Gipsy Moth has a certain amount of history to it,” he said. “It was originally bought by Garfield Wood of Garwood boating fame. A famous boat racer of the 1920s, he set any number of speed records, and today his 1930s runabouts are right up there with Chris-Craft in terms of being wooden boat classics.” Garfield flew the Gipsy Moth for several years before selling it to William Steele in Canada to be used as a WWII trainer. While in the service, the airplane was totaled in a training accident and languished in a barn for decades until a collector bought it, planning on a restoration. “Unfortunately, he passed on before finishing it,” Michael said. “When I bought it, the fuselage, which is basically just a wooden box, had the fabric put on it. The wings had been mostly rebuilt but needed to be finished. The engine, however, was well-documented with good logs.” The project’s Gipsy II engine was rare, having been produced for only two years. “The logbooks said it had 150 hours and was rebuilt by a well-known company,” Michael said. “However, I needed to be sure, so I took the cylinders off the case so I could have a good look at everything. Fortunately, the engine was in quite good condition, and that was a huge relief because there are absolutely zero Gipsy II parts available. “As the Gipsy engine evolved, the later models became the O-320 of Europe. Very reliable and well thought of.” The rest of the airframe didn’t fare as well, some parts never restored and others needing to be redone. “It seemed as if 40 percent was done, but I still had 90 percent to go,” Michael said. “To a certain extent, I’m my own worst enemy. Maybe because of my background in building models and art, I’m all about details, which in this case translates to being as original as possible.”
No, the skidball is not upside down: it’s a bubble level and, like everything else in the airplane, is original.
The baggage compartment reveals the totally wooden nature of the fuselage.
The Gipsy II engine in Michael’s Moth is extremely rare, having been built for only two years.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
2019 Expedition Limited 4x4. Optional features shown.
BIGGER IS ONLY BETTER IF YOU BUILD IT THAT WAY. T H E
F O R D
E X P E D I T I O N
The Gipsy Moth’s lines are shared with the entire Moth series with the wing and tail shapes being DH signatures.
18 January/February 2020
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
REGISTERED
“To a certain extent, I’m my own worst enemy. Maybe because of my background in building models and art, I’m all about details, which in this case translates to being as original as possible.” — Michael Maniatis
The covering on the fuselage plywood was done well, but most of the countersunk brass screws holding the fuselage together showed as imperfections in the fabric. “I couldn’t move ahead knowing that imperfection was there,” Michael said. “It would irritate me every time I looked at the airplane. So, I stripped it down and started over.” Old English airplanes pose their own problems. “There are lots of relatively complex systems and details that you don’t find that challenging in U.S. airplanes,” Michael said. “The wiring, for instance, was not only archaic, but nothing was marked. The cowling, which is hand-formed out of aluminum and welded together in sections, took forever to get to fit right.”
TRADE MARK
THE
The large lower cowl and upper cowling parts were missing. “Those I had to make from scratch,” Michael said. “The tiny flying and landing wires are 1/4inch and 3/16-inch and were all there, but I was missing one clevis. It had Wentworth threads, and I searched forever before finding one.” When it came to the prop, Michael got lucky. “I was talking on the phone with it in my lap one day and idly started sanding the paint that was over the leading-edge sheathing,” Michael said. “It came up as brass, so I later polished the brass and rubbed out the paint, and the prop was perfect! Not so the spinner.” He didn’t have an original spinner, so he re-created one out of mahogany lumber he had left over from making some props. Using photos as a guide, it was laminated in four or five layers, and he had to turn it on a metal lathe as he didn’t have a wood lathe. Then he used a hole saw to form the deep cavities for the bolts and indexed a sanding drum on a milling machine to finish them. It’s a work of art! “When it came to the final finish, Stuart McKay in England was a great help,” he said, “I had part of the original cockpit decking that went between the two cockpits, so I had a good idea what the original finish was, but Stuart had all the answers.”
DE HAVILLAND AIRCRAFT CO. LTD
EDGWARE ENGLAND
During its display in front of the Red Barn at AirVenture Oshkosh 2019, Michael Maniatis demonstrated the folding wings.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
www.vintageaircraft.org 19
As it happens, Michael said there were a lot of changes in the cockpit area at the beginning. They were just gearing up production, and as airplanes rolled off the line and went into service, as is always the case, lots of things that needed changing surfaced that had to be incorporated into subsequent airplanes. “Early Gipsy Moths didn’t have doors for the rear cockpit, so getting in was difficult because of the small size of the cockpit opening,” Michael said. “Later, doors were added on the right side only because of the long exhaust pipe on the left side. Later, when the Moth was reconfigured into the Tiger Moth, doors were provided on both sides. Because the engine was inverted, the exhaust changed to a short pipe running below the fuselage. In the Moth Major, the doors were larger and came up a little higher, protecting the pilots better.” The paint scheme for any civilian Moth project is foreordained by what the factory did: The wings were always silver because of weight considerations, but the fuselage could be any color the buyer wanted. Michael selected burgundy, although he couldn’t verify that was what Gar Wood had on the airplane. Available photos are all black and white, so it’s a guess. The cover is Ceconite with Randolph dope built up in 16 to 18 coats, with sanding between each coat. The metal is painted with Ranthane. The cockpit is as original as possible, including the cute little brass mag switch mounted on the left, outside of the fuselage in front of the rear windscreen. That gives both pilots access to the mags without duplicate wiring and puts it within sight of the person doing the propping so he knows they are off. Included in the original instrumentation is a rather unusual altimeter. “The altimeter is marked in hectometers, which means each mark is 100 meters or about 300 feet,” Michael said. “It’s not a nonsensitive altimeter — it’s an extremely nonsensitive altimeter, as if knowing your altitude within 300 feet was close enough.”
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Michael Maniatis (left) with Mike Fohne, who helped Michael restore the Gipsy Moth and helped with the drive from the East Coast to Oshkosh and back.
Michael considered flying the Gipsy Moth to Oshkosh, “but that much distance at 75-80 mph behind a 91-year-old engine made trucking it look very attractive, especially since the wings fold, so putting it on a trailer would be easy,” Michael said. “What I didn’t properly anticipate was what would be very heavy rain across Pennsylvania, trucks everywhere battering our open trailer as they passed, and a huge traffic pileup on Route 80.” Even worse, Michael’s four-cylinder Ford Ranger was having trouble with the load. “In Indiana, where the roads were straight and level, I felt as if we were really screaming, because I got up to 55 mph sometimes,” Michael said. “Then my GPS took us right through Chicago and things really slowed down.” Since his load was slightly over the maximum width allowed, Michael had to get wide load permits for each state he drove through. “I couldn’t get one for Ohio, so we decided to drive through without the permit, hoping that if we were stopped the trooper would have an appreciation for vintage aircraft,” Michael said. “Besides, everyone knew we were on our way to Oshkosh!”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
The Gipsy Moth’s reception at AirVenture was gratifying for Michael. “People were continually asking about this detail or that and were interested in what makes a Gipsy Moth different from a Tiger Moth,” he said. “The time spent parked in front of the Red Barn was really fun and made all the hours in the workshop well worth the time.” The logical question to a man who obviously doesn’t know how to go into projects half-cocked: What is your next project, Michael? “My next project is a Comper Swift, which was started in 2010 but put on hold to finish the Gipsy Moth, and, of course, finishing the restoration/repair of the Tiger Moth is a priority,” Michael said. He’s grateful to friends and family who helped with the Gipsy Moth. His wife, Mary, helped with fabric work and built up his confidence throughout the project. Michael also was fortunate to have the help of an aspiring flight instructor, Mike Traficanti. “We spent many days and late afternoons during the winter months working on the wings in a small heated loft area above the hangar,” Michael said. “Today, Mike is a first officer for the airlines.”
From the beginning, Michael had help from good friend Michael Frohne, who flew with him to Toronto to pick up the Gipsy Moth. They drove 16 hours in a U-Haul truck to get the project home. “He was also instrumental in helping to finish the airplane and drive it to Oshkosh and back,” Michael said. “Another good friend, Rich Harris, spent days helping me get the Moth ready to show and encouraging me to take it to Oshkosh, while Chuck Britt was very generous with his time welding the complicated stainless-steel exhaust system,” Michael said. “Thanks again to everyone who helped.” It would appear it takes a village to raise a Moth, and everyone at AirVenture 2019 benefited.
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22 January/February 2020
VINTAGE PHOTO ESSAY
Relive history through the vintage beauties on display at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2019
www.vintageaircraft.org 23
PHOTO BY ANDREW ZABACK PHOTO BY ART EICHMANN
PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY STEVE DAHLGREN
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PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY BRETT BROCK
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CLICK HERE
TO SEE A FLICKR GALLERY ON EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2019
PHOTO BY WILL CAMPBELL
PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY WILL CAMPBELL
PHOTO BY CAMDEN THRASHER
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PHOTO BY ALDEN FRAUTSCHY
PHOTO BY BERNIE KOSZEWA
PHOTO BY ANDREW ZABACK
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PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY CONNOR MADISON
PHOTO BY ED HICKS
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PHOTO BY JACK FLEETWOOD
PHOTO BY JACK FLEETWOOD
PHOTO BY WILL CAMPBELL
PHOTO BY ED HICKS
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PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY LYLE JANSMA
PHOTO BY CONNOR MADISON
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PHOTO BY ANDREW ZABACK
PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY JACK FLEETWOOD
PHOTO BY LAURIE GOOSSENS
PHOTO BY CRAIG VANDER KOLK
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT SLOCUM
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PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY JACK FLEETWOOD
PHOTO BY JACK FLEETWOOD
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PHOTO BY CONNOR MADISON
PHOTO BY STEVE DAHLGREN
PHOTO BY CONNOR MADISON
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PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY JIM RAEDER
PHOTO BY JIM RAEDER
PHOTO BY JACK FLEETWOOD
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PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY ED HICKS
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PHOTO BY LYLE JANSMA
PHOTO BY LYLE JANSMA
PHOTO BY LYLE JANSMA
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PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY WILL CAMPBELL
PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY LYLE JANSMA
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PHOTO BY STEVE DAHLGREN
PHOTO BY STEVE DAHLGREN
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PHOTO BY LYLE JANSMA
PHOTO BY STEVE DAHLGREN
PHOTO BY STEVE DAHLGREN
PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY JACK FLEETWOOD
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PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY ED HICKS
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PHOTO BY ED HICKS
PHOTO BY STEVE DAHLGREN
PHOTO BY JIM RAEDER
PHOTO BY CHRISTINA BASKEN
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l a H A
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n e C f
y r tu
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MILLER
g n i m o C Jim Callis’ efforts win again in a Waco reborn BY BUDD DAVISSON
THE LATE DR. JIM CALLIS would have gotten a kick out of watching his Waco QCF-2 receive a Bronze Lindy at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2018. First, it would have been an indication that all of the hours spent chasing down a million and one details had been worth it. However, the very process of receiving an award for of his efforts on a Waco restoration would have seemed familiar. This is to be
expected, because exactly 50 years earlier, in 1968 at the original EAA convention site in Rockford, Illinois, he received awards for a different Waco, an RNF. It was crowned Grand Champion Antique, Vintage, and Tulsa Award winner for outstanding restoration. This time around, his family had friend David Woosley take Jim’s QCF-2 to AirVenture 2018 to be judged and receive the Lindy, completing the circle. www.vintageaircraft.org 45
im, of Owensboro, Kentucky, was early into the EAA and Vintage folds — his membership numbers were 31472 and 428, respectively — as were his good friends Bill Goode and George Wheeler. Even though Jim eventually wound up flying big iron (he owned the current P-51D Old Crow), his love and background was punctuated with a number of antiques, especially Wacos. In the mid-’60s, the three friends located and bought a Waco RNF badly in need of a complete restoration, and they jumped into it with both feet. Tim Callis, Jim’s son, who was a child at the time, said, “They literally made the restoration of the RNF into a family affair. They would have all of the kids out there sanding for hours after layers of dope were applied to the fabric and generally getting a crash course in aircraft restoration.” They took the RNF to the 1968 EAA Convention, where it won Grand Champion Antique, among other awards. “Dad thought they had a good restoration but was overwhelmed by the awards,” Tim said. The airplane is now on display at the Kentucky Aviation Museum. “In the early ’80s, George Wheeler found a seriously wrecked Waco QCF-2 and started restoring it,” Tim said. “When George bought the airplane, I don’t think it much more than a data plate, a bill of sale, and a pile of badly deteriorated parts, the majority of which were good only for patterns. Many weren’t even that good.” However, original factory drawings and blueprints were obtained and restoration began. Jim and George worked for years at a slower pace than they had with the RNF restoration. The wings were rebuilt and the fuselage was welded. George started building a Skybolt, which would also become an EAA award winner. (See EAA Sport Aviation article “Doin’ It for George,” November 2017.) George was later diagnosed with cancer and didn’t have time to finish the projects, so Jim bought the QCF. “Dad found a new surplus W-670 220-hp Continental that looked good,” Tim said. “At the time, finding one that was zero-time since military overhaul wasn’t that unusual. However, there was no way of actually knowing what kind of condition it was in, because it had been overhauled probably 50 years earlier.” They sent the engine to Air Repair in Cleveland, Mississippi. “They found little or no corrosion but took it all the way down to the bearings, updated it with some of their specialty parts, and replaced anything that didn’t look and measure new,” Tim said. “When Dad got it back, it was essentially a zero-time engine.
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“When George bought the airplane, I don’t think it much more than a data plate, a bill of sale, and a pile of badly deteriorated parts, the majority of which were good only for patterns. Many weren’t even that good.” – TIM CALLIS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
“By this time,” Tim said, “Dad was getting older, and the prospect of having to cover an airplane as big as an F-2 didn’t look inviting. He had a lot of experience doing that and knew it wasn’t something to be approached lightly.” He sent the airframe to Waco Aircraft in Battle Creek, Michigan, to have it covered and made flight worthy. At the same time, Jim and George located a Hamilton-Standard ground-adjustable prop. “Those were getting harder to find,” Tim said. The men finished the airplane in 2011, but Jim was no longer flying. The Waco returned home with a few items left to check off the list before it could go to Oshkosh. “Then, we lost him in 2015,” Tim said. “For a while, our family didn’t know what to do with the airplane. It was an absolutely new QCF-2 with only ferry time on it, but no one locally had much experience maintaining these sorts of airplanes.” Last year, the family contacted David Woosley of Leading Edge Aircraft in Hartford, Kentucky. He handled the remaining items on the to-do list and the annual inspection before taking the airplane to AirVenture, where it won a Lindy for Vintage Antiques.
“We know Dad would have felt as much excitement as he did 50 years before,” Tim said. Dave said, “When they came to me, the airplane only had five hours on it since being totally, and I mean totally, restored.” It hadn’t been flown for eight years, but fortunately had been stored in a heated and air-conditioned hangar. Dave did a full inspection, including borescoping and running the engine, and prepped the Waco for the flight to Oshkosh. “Both the airplane and I were ready,” he said. As he put it, Dave’s company is a one-man show, and he’s had an affinity for vintage aircraft all along. “At 16 I was flying Cubs and C-140s, and at any given time I’ll have everything from Bückers to Austers to whatever in my shop, so the QCF fit right in,” he said. “More important, flying it once again proved to me why the F-2 Wacos are so highly prized. They are different than most others of their type.” Dave said preflighting the Waco is fairly straightforward, but fuel is not. “There is no easy way to get at the tank,” he said. “It’s up in the wing center section, probably 10-12 feet in the air. The best way is to climb a stepladder in front of the wing.
Dave Woolsey, right, family friend and ferry pilot, brought the QCF-2 to Oshkosh where young Mason Rowe, CAP cadet and glider pilot, became part of his fly-in crew.
www.vintageaircraft.org 47
RESTORING A WINGED BEAUTY
“You aren’t in the air for 30 seconds before you know where the F-2 legend is rooted:
Jim Callis got the QCF-2 almost ready for cover.
The controls are not only much lighter than almost any airplane of the period, but they are much more positive. It’s not a Pitts or a
George Wheeler started building the fuselage to Jim Callis finished it.
Jungmeister, but as big biplanes go, the F-2 is in a class by itself, and this one was in the upper levels of that class.” Fortunately, the factory drawings included the motor mount.
Factory drawings were invaluable in recreating the airplane.
Jim Callis and friends George Wheeler and Bill Goode won Best Antique, with this RNF WACO at EAA 1968.
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— DAVID WOOSLEY
“Getting in the front cockpit is also a chore. There’s not much room between the top wing and the fuselage, and if it didn’t have the little side door, it would be impossible to get in. As it is, you have to be something of a contortionist. The walkway is quite narrow, and you really have to watch passengers’ feet so they don’t get a sneaker edge out over the fabric. When that happens, the sneaker sole deforms around the edge of the wing walk plywood and can cut the fabric.” Radial engines take special attention, Dave said. “Oil needs to be drained from the lower cylinders. The prop is pulled through to make sure the oil that has drained into the cylinders is pushed out. Still, when you crank it, you turn it over with the starter a number of times with the mags off so a cylinder can’t fire when it has oil in it. That can cause a bent connecting rod because of the hydraulic pressures generated.”
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF JIM CALLIS
Dave said the engine takes nine shots of prime when it’s cold, but only two when it’s warm. “I love starting radial engines, even though I’ve done it hundreds of times,” he said. “When it first coughs and that blue smoke starts coming back and the coughs settle into a steady rumble, there is no doubt in your mind that you’re going to be flying a ‘real’ airplane. No flat motor gives you that kind of thrill.” Visibility is one of a few challenges in the Waco; most of the runway disappears when taxiing, Dave said. Keeping it straight requires plenty of right rudder. Visibility improves once the tail gets off the ground. “It’s never wonderful, but that’s just part of the charm of antique taildraggers,” Dave said. “Holding the tail slightly low, the airplane will lift off with some authority. Even though it’s a big airplane, it lets you know early that it has some performance going for it. “And then there is the legendary F-2 handling,” Dave said. He was aware before starting the engine of how frictionless the controls felt. “That alone said this wasn’t going to be a boring flight. You aren’t in the air for 30 seconds before you know where the F-2 legend is rooted: The controls are not only much lighter than almost any airplane of the period, but they are much more positive. It’s not a Pitts or a Jungmeister, but as big biplanes go, the F-2 is in a class by itself, and this one was in the upper levels of that class.” As he was climbing out on the first flight, Dave felt lucky to be able to fly such an aircraft and experience what makes a Waco F-2 special. “Here was an airplane that was coming up on being 90 years old, but even though it was obviously an antique airplane, it didn’t feel like almost any other antique airplane I had flown,” he said.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
www.vintageaircraft.org 49
“Most big biplanes are, shall we say, leisurely in their handling. In some cases, biplanes from this same period are ‘two-fisted’ airplanes. Their controls can be so heavy that they tire you out to fly them. Not so with the F-2. Compared to most of its peer group, it borders on being a sports car. And, solo, at 60-70 mph and 2200 or so rpm, it was giving me a solid 1,500-feet-per-minuteclimb. That’s not too shabby.” Dave said he flies final at 55-60 mph with just a hair of power. Because of the high drag of the airframe, the nose is fairly low at that speed, so the visibility over the nose is better than would be expected. However, the airplane does have some special needs that modern pilots aren’t used to. He said, “As soon as you begin the flare, you have to be very aware of how quickly the airplane slows down. It is like a big parachute, because the drag rise with increasing angle of attack is very noticeable. The sound of the wind going out of the wires is hard to miss and the speed is gone right now, so it has little or no float.
50 January/February 2020
“I landed the airplane both three-point and with wheel landing, and it was a perfect lady either way. However, since the airplane is so slow on touchdown, if there was much crosswind, I always wheeled it on.” The airplane slows quickly on the ground, so brakes usually aren’t necessary, Dave said. Overall, Dave said the Waco is a wonderful airplane to fly. After AirVenture, with Jim’s grandson, Jeb, he flew the airplane to RARE Aircraft to be offered for sale. “I didn’t want to give it up,” Dave said. Jim would have enjoyed receiving the Bronze Lindy, but no doubt he would have enjoyed the lavish praise Dave, a veteran antique airplane driver, heaped on his airplane even more. Everyone likes to be told that their kids are both pretty and smart. N11431 (it now wears its original N-number) is both. INTERESTED IN WACOS? For in-depth information, contact the National Waco Club or the American Waco Club.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS, CHRIS MILLER
The Waco F-2 series combines good looks with even better handling.
The wheelpants complete the funky sort of streamlined look of the airplane.
The 220-hp Continental hadn’t been run since overhauled by the military so it was broken down, inspected, and improved where necessary.
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52 January/February 2020
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
One Airplane, Two Lifelong Friends
When Bill Lokken purchased a 1946 Champ, little did he know that one airplane would bring two families together. “I started in aviation because of my dad,” Myron Lokken, EAA 532919, said. “He bought the Champ. That was his first airplane that he bought. Dad’s had the thing for as long as I can remember. I can remember him restoring the airplane when I was real young. I couldn’t help much, couldn’t do a lot, just kind of sat there, and he would have us hold something or steady something while he was working on it.”
HOW A CHAMP BROUGHT TWO FAMILIES TOGETHER
BY CHRISTINA BASKEN
www.vintageaircraft.org 53
yron met his lifelong friend Doug Tomas, EAA 84351, when their fathers were working on various aircraft, including the Champ, at the Madison EAA chapter in 1993. “Since I was a little kid, I’ve been nuts about airplanes, and when we ran into Myron and his brothers, Mark and Marvin, we just hung around together,” Doug said. “On weekends, we’d be constantly around the airplane. The guys out there, they were restoring airplanes constantly or building airplanes and turned out some really nice, special airplanes. We’d be around. So rather than being underfoot, don’t just get in the way, do something. So it was, ‘Drill out these rivets.’ They were showing us how to do things and that kind of led to Mark and I going to A&P school. That’s how we kind of started learning the stuff and started enjoying doing that work.” A few years later when the Champ became available, it was a no-brainer for Myron and Doug to go in on it. Myron and Doug finished each other’s stories while talking about what had been a dream project for as long as they could remember. “I remember Doug promising me it was going to take two years,” Myron teased.
“Yeah, my estimates are never very good,” Doug said, laughing. The last time the plane had been re-covered and refinished was in 1971. Doug and Myron went back and forth deciding whether to fix up a few parts here and there or to pull it all apart and tackle it all at once, when one day, they got the answer they needed. “I was sitting in the airplane, and this mouse is looking at me and just jumps onto my lap,” Myron said. “I don’t know who was more frightened, me or the mouse. We both exited the airplane really quick. Doug and I decided, well, we’ve got to look in the wings and see what’s going on. We had to debate whether to just restore the control surfaces in the wings or to do it one piece at a time. The next thing you know, we had the wings off of it. It was like, ‘Okay, I guess we are going to do this now.’” Once the wings were off, Myron and Doug decided to start working on it in the Pontiac garage in downtown Stoughton, Wisconsin, that they spent so many hours in as kids.
The awards are one thing, but what really mattered to Myron and Doug was the memories made and preserved by restoring this airplane.
54 January/February 2020
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
THE RESTORATION
“Myron is doing this kind of Bill Mauldin’s cartoon, the one where the Jeep’s broke down,” Doug said. “He’s about to shoot it, like putting it out of its misery or whatever. So, Myron’s kind of covering his eyes, and going into the fabric with the knife before we start peeling it apart. So, it’s just a matter of stripping it down to bare bones and seeing what’s inside. Luckily we didn’t find problems. There were little things to be fixed here, and a lot of it was just cleaning and repainting. The wood spars we went over really carefully, because that’s always been one of the fragile things on these airplanes. But, we knew the history of the airplane and how it’s been taken care of.
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“We decided to put another wing fuel tank in to just give us a little more space, especially if we were planning on putting a larger engine in eventually.” Myron noticed one day when he was flying to Iola, Wisconsin, for lunch that by the time he had gone to lunch and gotten back home, he needed to refuel. So, he thought to himself, “Boy, if I had another 5 gallons of fuel on board, I could make it all the way back and not be concerned about whether I had to fuel up.” Then he thought, “Well, if we’re going to put a ….” “We really want to have an airplane with a starter on it,” Myron said. “It’d be really nice to have a starter on the airplane. So, we wanted to put a bigger engine in, which you are required to have more fuel. And that’s how we ended up with a 13-gallon header tank with a 5-gallon tank in the wing.” After the wing tank installation, Doug and Myron got to thinking about putting in a radio with intercom. “It’s one of these things where you are trying to balance it and keep the spirit of the airplane and the era as close as we could without making it obvious, but yet we’ve got a little more different environment to fly in,” Doug said. “We’ve talked about hiding it, too, concealing the radio in the airplane someplace,” Myron said. “We worked on it for a while and just said, ‘Well, there is just no real way to do it properly.’ So we thought we might as well just own it, so we put a plate up there on the wing root and put a nice little cover over it and switches and everything. It doesn’t look out of place. It’s not too obnoxious. It doesn’t stick out.” “I don’t know how they did it back in the day, because they didn’t have an intercom, because it’s kind of noisy in there,” Myron said. “Probably lots of yelling. I remember one time going with my dad. We took off at the runway at Stoughton and we’re flying out and just climbing out, and the next thing you know the engine went all the way to idle. I didn’t know what happened. It was my dad. He was hollering at me to tell me that he wanted me to do something, to climb at a certain speed or something like that, and he pulled the throttle back so he could holler at me. And I’ve already got the nose down and I’m looking for a field to land in, you know. He thought it was pretty funny. I didn’t at the time.” After they installed the radio and made their way to the fuselage, they realized that some of the wood was warped and worn out, so they figured, why not just replace all the wood: the floorboards, stringers, everything? After all, this project had
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been a dream for so long; cutting corners would not be an option. “Some of the guys at the airport were saying, ‘Oh, you’re spending way too much time on it.’ And we were like, ‘Well, yeah, but it pays off in the long run,’” Doug said. PAINTING A MASTERPIECE
“When these airplanes are built, they start off covering them with cotton, which didn’t last very long,” Doug said. “So, they were used to taking them apart fairly regularly and putting new fabric on. Now with the new fabrics, it stays on a long time. It was time for it to come apart and inspect everything and make sure it was good. Fabric isn’t necessarily a hard thing to do, but it takes time to make it look really nice. That was fun. It’s something that you don’t do very often. You’ve got to be careful with it.” The original paint job had large, straight, broad red stripes on the wings, which made for great visibility, but the boys wanted to do something a little different. “We didn’t necessarily want to do the original Champ, so we were kicking around different ideas or going back to the same one that was on there,” Doug said. “Myron’s brother Marvin, on the internet, found a gentleman out West that had a Champ done in the Aeronca Sedan scheme. The first time we looked at it, it was like, ‘That’s perfect.’ It really fits the airplane nice. I liked it because you don’t have a lot of lines going across different breaking points. The wings are all red, the tail surfaces, the horizontal surfaces are all red.”
MIMICKING AN AERONCA SEDAN
The idea is that it was a copy of an Aeronca Sedan, so Doug and Myron were trying to mimic that as much as they could. “We were trying to find the Aeronca Sedan font, and I would take that to people and Doug was searching for it on the internet, and we were like, ‘Does
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
anybody know what this font is?’” Myron said. “People would look at it and say, ‘No, we couldn’t figure it out.’ Finally found something and tweaked it a little bit, and I took it to a local guy that cuts stencils and stuff and he cut the stencils out for us. So, they are actually painted on; they are not decals.” “It was funny, I figured the Aeronca Sedan guys would know what the font would be,” Doug said. “They couldn’t tell me what the name was either. They were like, ‘If you find out, let us know.’ But where I found it was an article on the interweb. There was a guy in England that was building an Aeronca Sedan model, and he was trying to do the same thing, get the font right for the lettering. The thing was, he was a printer. So, he went back to his font book and eventually came down to where it’s a variation of an Arial type. So he had something for us. That was the first time that we had something to go by. We still had to tweak it a little bit. Of course, we have Champ instead of Sedan on the fuselage there. But that turned out really well.” “We sometimes say that it’s an Aeronca Sedan that we left out in the rain, and then the sun came out and shrunk it down a bit,” Doug said. Sometimes you get by with a little help from your friends, and sometimes it’s the Aeronca Museum. “The beautiful thing about the Aeronca drawings is we get to go to the Aeronca Museum and then just download the drawings,” Myron said. “Any part that we wanted was on there. You found it and it was 100 percent blueprint; I could print the stuff off and put it on a piece of metal, cut it out, and it would be the exact size.” Doug said receiving help from his friends Bill Pancake, Bill Amundsen, and all the people they grew up with in Stoughton was a real pleasure. “Little tweaks here and there and little suggestions really can save you a lot and keep you from remaking that part again or making a major booboo and having to restart,” Doug said. “Some of it is just tedious, where you
put it on and file a little bit more or put it on and trim here. It’s kind of neat to have somebody who’s not involved that can come walk in and say, ‘You sure you want to do that?’ A fresh set of eyes. Maybe something that’s so obvious to even yourself if you’d walk into a different hangar instead of something where it’s under your nose all the time and you don’t step back and look.” “I remember going to the air show and the first thing I saw, I was like, ‘Oh, there’s a Champ! I’ve got to go over and look at it,’” Myron said. “‘Well, how are they doing that?’ And I would always try to take pictures of things even though I didn’t know what it was that was my problem, but at least if I had a picture I could go by, I could see how somebody else did it. And that worked out quite well.” “We were getting to the point that, ‘Well, where does this line sit on the fuselage?’ So we get it right,” Doug said. “So, I emailed the gentleman we found that first founded the paint scheme a couple of times, and he came back and measured his airplane and drew up some sketches. We weren’t sure if he wanted to share his paint job because it was unique, but he was quite happy to share information. So, that was terrific. Some of the guys who helped us have been around when the factory was in progress, or just guys that have done a bunch of airplanes and know what to look for and what to watch out [for] and give you a, ‘Make sure you put this bolt in this direction because you’ll be sorry if you don’t down
“We sometimes say that it’s an Aeronca Sedan that we left out in the rain, and then the sun came out and shrunk it down a bit.” — DOUG TOMAS
Doug Tomas on left with Myron Lokken.
www.vintageaircraft.org 57
the road,’ were a huge help. You hear over and over again whether it’s at Oshkosh or anything: It’s the people that you get to meet and work with. It is. It really makes the whole thing.”
LEARNING FROM THE PROCESS
There is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to any restoration. Whether it’s your first or 50th, there is always room for improvement. “I think the biggest thing I have learned would be some of the planning and getting things together,” Doug said. “Knowing what we are going to do or how we are going to do it ahead of time would have probably helped a little bit. But a lot of it we were learning. So that was definitely on-the-job training.” But the reward was worth the time and money spent. Doug and Myron won a Lindy for Outstanding Custom (0-85 hp), 2018 Best Project at Oshkosh, and Project of the Year. “The Midwest Antique Airplane Club gave us an award for project of the year,” Doug said. “They have their banquet every year in November in Fond du Lac, and last year for whatever reason I wasn’t able to make that one, and one of the guys from Palmyra that we work with quite a bit every weekend sent me a text message and a picture. It was a cut-glass award. Like, huh? That was really nice, because that’s a group of guys that have been restoring Antiques and Classics and really high-quality stuff and really rare stuff, and to get that from that group was a nice recognition that speaks a lot to us. It was the guys that we grew up around; they were the ones that said, ‘This is what a good restoration or good rebuild looks like.’ So, it was nice to receive that from them.” The awards are one thing, but what really mattered to Myron and Doug was the memories made and preserved by restoring this airplane. “It’s been kind of fun, because everybody knew the airplane,” Doug said. “Now it’s kind of fun because with a different paint scheme on it everybody expects like, well, it should be a Sedan, but they get close to it and it’s not a Sedan. But, it’s kind of fun to have a kind of different life to it again. The neat part is now we got great-grandkids that are going for rides in it. That’s the fun part, is still carrying on the tradition and memories.” INTERESTED IN CHAMPS? Contact the National Aeronca Association for more information.
58 January/February 2020
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
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The Vintage Mechanic ROBERT G. LOCK
Adhesives and Bondings, Part 2 BY ROBERT G. LOCK
IN THIS ISSUE I want to follow up on the subject of a previous article — bonding. Specifically, I want to comment on the use of epoxy resin on type-certificated aircraft. But first, let’s explore where the FAA stands on this issue. Advisory Circular 43.13-1B is the latest revision and contains the approved adhesive for the construction and repair of type-certificated aircraft. Chapter 1, Paragraph 1-4a (1) says to refer to the aircraft repair manual for acceptable adhesive selection. There’s only one problem here — there are no structural repair manuals for old airplanes! Paragraph 1-4a (2) says adhesives must meet a military specification, aerospace material specification, or technical standard order for “Wooden Aircraft Structure.” Further, Paragraph 1-4b states, “Adhesive technology continues to evolve, and new types (meeting the requirements of Paragraph 1-4a) may become available in the future.” And finally, Paragraph 1-4b (6) states, “Many new epoxy resin systems appear to have excellent working properties. Caution: It is essential that only those products meeting the requirements of Paragraph 1-4a be used in aircraft repair.” So where does that leave us? Currently there is no directly approved type of epoxy adhesive for the construction and repair of wood aircraft structures. Each approval, including the use of the WEST SYSTEM on an FAA type-certificated airplane, has been done on an individual basis. Don’t look for any mil spec, AMS, or TSO approvals for epoxy adhesives for wooden aircraft to come jumping out of the woodwork! The only way to use this new stuff is with an FAA field approval, and they are beginning to come forth. Before you start your restoration, touch base with your local flight standards district office inspector to be sure you’ve gotten approval to proceed with restoring your structure with epoxy.
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Fabricating a Command-Aire wing rib using aluminum fixture fabricated from an original rib. The rib fixture was fabricated from a good original factory wing rib, thus contour and spar spacing were accurate. (There were no drawings available for this aircraft.)
Perhaps the best epoxy laminating system for wood is the WEST SYSTEM, manufactured by Gougeon Brothers Inc. It was specifically designed for marine use and can be used on woven fibrous materials, such as fiberglass, Kevlar, and graphite. I have used it on both wood and fiberglass structures. It works well, is easy to mix (ratio of five parts resin to one part hardener or three parts resin to one part hardener, depending on what type mix you need), and is relatively easy to spread. When cured it is clear, so the epoxy does not stain the wood structure. Take a look at www.WESTSYSTEM.com. You can read product information and download the instruction manual. The epoxy resin and hardener are available from Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Company or almost any marine supply business. There are precautions that must be observed when using any epoxy adhesive. For old-timers who have used resorcinol or plastic resin (no longer approved) adhesives, clamping pressure for spar splices or any bonded joint with a large surface area was by means of C-clamps or parallel clamps. Clamping pressure for those older adhesives is recommended at 125-150 psi for softwoods and 150-200 psi for hardwoods. If one uses that much pressure with epoxy adhesives, the pressure will drive the epoxy resin from the joint and a weak bond will occur. A clamp that applies enough pressure to bring surfaces into contact and allows some “squeeze-out” of excess resin is needed. If possible, spring-type clamps and caul blocks should be used. For rib fabrication, use brass nails and nail through gussets for pressure during cure. For installation of plywood skin over wood ribs, use nailing strips and 1/2-inch- to 5/8-inch-long plain wire nails. The nailing strips will be removed after cure. Note: My main concern when using epoxy resin is clamping pressure when the joint requires mechanical clamping. If mechanical clamping is required, make several test samples until the clamping pressure yields an airworthy joint. An airworthy joint will cause wood to fail or show wood fibers in the bond line when tested to destruction. Clamp, cure, and destruct test samples until you achieve the desired results. Most repairs to wood structures are classified as major repairs, so the airframe and powerplant mechanic with inspection authorization must conduct these tests since he or she will be signing to return the structure to service. Mixing the WEST SYSTEM is easy. While many previous epoxy resins were quite viscous (resistant to pouring), the WEST SYSTEM is about the right consistency and is easily spread with a brush. The mix ratio is specified by the manufacturer but is either five parts resin to one part hardener or three parts resin to one part hardener depending on what you are using. The resin is Part No. 105, fast hardener is 205, and slow hardener is 206. I’ve used only the slow hardener. You can purchase pumps that fit in the can that will meter out the exact amount of resin/hardener.
The Command-Aire upper wings taking shape. Note that the wings are bolted together to assure proper fit when aircraft will be rigged for flight. At this point the leading edge plywood skin has not been installed. Installation of the leading edge skin takes skill; the job is made easier if one has done it before. Nailing strips will be used to apply pressure to glue joints while the adhesive cures. Nailing strips are cut from clear pine and will measure 1/8-inch thick and 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch wide depending on how wide the glue joint requires the clamping pressure to be applied. EPOXY TIPS
Mixing: Use unwaxed paper cups; do not use any container that is glass, waxed, or plastic foam. Sometimes the pumps that dispense the resin and hardener will “spit” some air, particularly if they haven’t been used for a period of time. In that case, meter some resin into a cup, then meter some hardener into the same cup. If the pump does not emit any air with the material, you’re good to go. If some air is emitted with either the resin or hardener, throw the batch away and mix a new batch as the ratio of resin to hardener will not be correct. Stir slowly for at least a minute to thoroughly mix the hardener with the resin. Don’t “whip” the mixture, as you will introduce air bubbles into the adhesive. Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors make good stir sticks.
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The Vintage Mechanic ROBERT G. LOCK
Clamping: Apply only enough pressure to bring surfaces into good contact and allow for a small amount of squeeze-out of resin. Maintain pressure until resin has cured. Curing: I usually leave clamps in place at least overnight and keep temperature to around 70 degrees Fahrenheit (I’m from the old school). FILLERS
There may be a time when a filler material can be added to the epoxy resin mix to create a special occasion product. I have used two types: microballoons and cotton linter. Micro reduces the density of the epoxy and can be mixed to any consistency from syrup to peanut butter. It depends on what you are going to do with it. Micro and epoxy make good filler that is easily sanded but has very little structural strength. Cotton linters with epoxy resin is strong when cured, but it has little use on wood aircraft structures. Be sure to thoroughly mix the resin/hardener first and then add in filler.
The upper left wing for a New Standard ready for installation of plywood leading edge. The lower skin is bonded in place and varnished well to resist water damage. Outboard skin is bonded in place, and nailing strips can be seen applying pressure to the adhesive joints. Inboard skin has been prepared by applying several coats of varnish. Note the rib, spar, and stringer locations do not have varnish but are the raw wood. A light sanding, just enough to scratch the surface, will improve bonding strength. Adhesive is applied to both surfaces to be bonded, and the skin aligned and tacked in place at the upper corners. Now the nailing strips are put into place to apply pressure to the joint. Waxed paper is placed between nailing strips and skin. I’ll go into more detail as to how to align, mark, and apply skin in a future article.
Once mixed, the pot life will depend on ambient temperature and amount of epoxy in the cup. Epoxy resins cure by chemical cross-linking of molecules. The byproduct of this cure is exothermic heat. Once the cure process kicks off, the material will begin to gel. Your project must be assembled and clamped before the material begins to gel. If the resin is in a pot, the gel time will be very limited due to exothermic heat buildup. So don’t mix too much material at one time. It’s always better to mix small quantities often than to throw away large batches when they kick off. Spreading: Use a brush that doesn’t shed bristles. For hardwoods (plywood) I sand bonding surfaces lightly with a fine grade sandpaper, just enough to put some scratches in the surface. Softwoods (spruce) do not need sanding. Spread an even coat on both surfaces to be bonded, assemble, and then apply appropriate pressure.
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The Command-Aire lower left wing with skin bonded to upper and lower surfaces. Leading edge skin is birch, while lower wing walk area is mahogany plywood. Difference in color is apparent. Both birch and mahogany plywood are from the hardwood family of woods, but birch is denser and harder than mahogany. It can be difficult to nail with brass nails, especially if it is more than 1/8-inch thick.
OTHER USES
When we were restoring the New Standard biplane, the factory made all wing and landing gear struts from round chromoly tubing. This was faired to streamline with balsa wood leading and trailing edges, then wrapped with pinked-edge surface tape. Since this was a nonstructural fairing, I decided to hot-wire cut polystyrene foam to the desired shape and fiberglass the outside surfaces. I used a medium-weight glass fiber cloth and the WEST SYSTEM epoxy resin. I should note that epoxy resin will stick to polystyrene foam, but polyester (boat resin) will cause the
foam to soften. When the laminated glass fiber is in the “B” stage of cure (resin begins to gel and exothermic heat increases), the glass can easily be trimmed to shape using a razor blade, knife, or scissors. After complete cure I sanded the fairings to fit each strut. I then mixed resin and added cotton linters to make a thick paste and stuck the fairings to the struts, applying pressure with masking tape until cured. Adding filler material (cotton linters) to epoxy resin makes a good gap-filling adhesive, but it doesn’t sand easily, so wipe off excess resin that squeezes out. I then sanded and wrapped the fairings with pinked-edge surface tape and finished with the Poly-Fiber process. It worked great and is very lightweight. Epoxy resins can be useful for repair of structures due to their flexibility. Perhaps the FAA door to granting approval for use on type-certificated aircraft has opened ever so slightly. There are some FAA field approvals available for use of WEST SYSTEM epoxy resins in wood structures. Some of the type clubs would have a 337 available. It’s only a matter of time now.
The quality of the bond joint is traced back to the person who mixed, spread, and clamped the adhesive. Curing pressure, temperature, and clamping time are of the utmost importance. One must always read and follow directions exactly as specified by the manufacturer. Always remember that the No. 1 objective is safety; make all the right moves so a pile of parts like this can grow into something that looks like this. It just takes time, patience, and following directions.
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Message From the President SUSAN DUSENBURY, VAA PRESIDENT
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Growing up in Massachusetts, Myrt was befriended by an elderly couple who were just like grandparents to her and used to take her for rides in their farm truck. Her “adopted” grandfather’s name was Arthur. Later, when Bill gave Myrt a truck very similar to the one she rode in as a child, she immediately named it Arthur to honor her childhood friend. Arthur the truck will be on display in the Red Barn area or can be seen touring down Wittman Road during AirVenture next July. Thanks, Myrt — this is the perfect addition to Vintage Village. In November the Vintage board of directors appointed Joel Meanor to serve as an adviser to the board. Joel brings a lifetime of involvement in diverse areas of aviation including aircraft model building as a child. Joel holds multiple degrees and certificates related to the aviation industry with concentrations including aviation maintenance, operations, and business management. Today, professionally, Joel is co-owner of a group of companies that serves the aviation industry in effectively identifying qualified and talented individuals for their particular operations. Joel volunteers for
various organizations including VAA, where he serves as a judge in the Classic aircraft category. While in the U.S. Marine Corps, Joel served with the 1st Force Reconnaissance Company in special operations. Now he volunteers his time helping veterans transition from the armed forces to the civilian workforce. Joel and his wife live in Texas, and he currently owns and flies a Cessna 182. Welcome, Joel.
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64 January/February 2020
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